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Blackhawks even series with overtime win against Blues

Chicago Blackhawks centre Jonathan Toews battles for the puck with St. Louis Blues left wing Alexander Steen during Game 4 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series at the United Center in Chicago, April 23, 2014. (JERRY LAI/USA Today)

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Ken Hitchcock spoke those words and now this St. Louis Blues head coach and his charges must deal with a Chicago Blackhawks team that has all kinds of MO on their side.

The Blackhawks gave the Blues a taste of their rope-a-dope medicine en route to a 4-3 overtime win Wednesday night that has the best-of-seven opening-round Stanley Cup playoff series tied 2-2.

Patrick Kane scored 11:17 into the extra period and the defending champions made the most of their first two home games after the Blues claimed the first two tilts.

Kane raced down the wing and potted his second of the night to set off the party in the Windy City.

Game 5 will be Friday in St. Louis.

After a scoreless first period -- in part due to fantastic work by Blues goalie Ryan Miller -- the Blackhawks staked themselves to a two-goal lead to the delight of the United Center sellout crowd of 22,123 thanks to their first powerplay goal since the opening clash and a pretty play soon after.

The Blackhawks snapped an 0-for-13 drought with the extra attacker when Andrew Shaw was on the doorstep and managed to bat home a loose puck after Jonathan Toews fanned on his chance.

The Madhouse on Madison lived up to its name a few minutes later when Kane doubled the lead by converting a great cross-ice pass from Johnny Oduya.

However, the Blues have proven all series they're not the type to go down without a fight, and, once again, made a comeback with some late-period heroics before the second intermission.

Taking a cue from the Blackhawks ability to finally score with the man-advantage, Vladimir Tarasenko potted his team's second powerplay goal of the series with just 69 seconds remaining in the frame to put the visitors on the board.

After Vladimir Sobotka won the faceoff, Tarasenko played give-and-go with defence-man Kevin Shattenkirk before working his way into the left circle and firing a puck that eluded Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford.

The Blues went nearly 99 minutes without a goal.

Then, Maxim Lapierre evened the count with just 3.1 seconds left on the clock and stunned the Chicago faithful.

Amidst a wild scramble, Lapierre gained the puck at the right dot and fired a shot that went off the post and banked off Crawford's keister and in for the buzzer beater.

The NASCAR-calibre series of lead changes continued when Tarasenko put the Blues ahead after the midway point of the third period with another long wrister that beat Crawford.

Tarasenko, arguably his team's lone gamebreaker, has four goals in as many games, an impressive feat for a player who missed the final few weeks of the season due to a hand injury that required surgery and still needs medical treatment.

But, to the surprise of nobody with how things have gone in this set, the Blackhawks forced overtime for the third time in the series.

Bryan Bickell, one of the breakout heroes of last season, deflected Michal Rozsival's point shot past Miller for his first goal of the spring run.

The Blackhawks had the most pressure to kick off the extra time.

Miller was forced to make a clutch save on Ben Smith in the early going and then Kane rang a shot off the crossbar.

The Blues had a big scare early in overtime when Sobotka briefly went to the room after being on the receiving end of a punishing clean hit from Bickell but soon returned.